Microscopic Technology (I)

Chapter 10: Speak Up

-Denise-

I roused from my slumber, the chill of the floor seeping into my awareness as I pushed myself up to a standing position. My eyes fell upon a hand hovering above me, and as my gaze lifted, I found Techno L extending her hand toward me. Without hesitation, I grasped her offered hand, allowing her to pull me upright.

The initial grogginess began to subside, replaced by the keen awareness of my surroundings. "Where... where are we?" I inquired, my voice tinged with a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

Her response was direct, her words carrying a purposeful weight. "We're in the chamber designated for preparing humans," she explained, her voice a blend of determination and urgency. "This is where we equip you to aid us in our battle against our ultimate adversaries – the Malwares."

Her head tilted slightly, and the illumination above cast a revealing light on her features. It was then that I couldn't help but notice the extensive scars marring her countenance – scars that stretched from the corners of her mouth up to her cheekbones, and a larger one over her right eye.

'Such a formidable being, bearing such hidden scars,' I mused, a complex blend of respect and empathy washing over me as I contemplated the story behind those wounds. The play of light on her scars was oddly mesmerizing, even as my empathy deepened.

My voice broke the momentary silence, carrying with it a trace of self-consciousness. "Techno L," I inquired, a tentative note lacing my words, "how... how did you get those scars?"

The touch of her fingers on the scarred skin was gentle, a gesture that seemed both reflexive and introspective. "It's a tale with many threads, spanning the length of my past," she responded, her tone carrying a mixture of both reticence and openness. Her hands then moved, one resting on either side of my head, a touch that was both intimate and strangely soothing. I couldn't help but notice the chill of her cold fingers against my skin as they started to stroke my hair, a motion that appeared to be both a comfort to her and a subtle sign of her own vulnerabilities.

I met her gaze, her emerald eyes capturing my attention in a way that felt surprisingly intimate given the circumstances.

"Denise," her voice carried a weight that caught me off guard, "I believe it's time for me to share the knowledge of my adversary – her abilities, her weaknesses – to arm you with the insights needed to confront her."

'Her?'

Techno L's voice cut through the maze of my internal musings. "Indeed, Denise, it's a 'her'," she confirmed, her tone carrying a calm assurance.

'Right,' I swallowed a sudden lump in my throat, 'she can access my thoughts.'

In the span of our conversation, her hand returned to its place on my head, the cold touch somehow comforting as it stroked my hair. It was then that I found myself gazing into her emerald eyes, my curiosity mingling with a sense of anticipation.

"Furthermore," she continued, her touch returning to my head once more, "I plan to grant you insight into the reason I'm unable to face this enemy myself – a glimpse into my past through shared memories."

The implications of her statement were striking – my consciousness would venture into her recollections, a spectator with no control over movement or speech, yet still capable of thought and feeling.

"Though your body remains untouched by my memories, you'll bear witness to them," she explained, her hands placed on either side of my head once more. An unusual energy began to course through me as she initiated the connection. "You'll experience this journey as an observer, unburdened by any impact on the real world."